TAA i.2.4.9

involved as to become almost incoherent. Perforce, the involved

condition of their ideas was due, in great part, to the confusion

incurred by later conceptions overtaking <the> older traditions. But perhaps

another, and I believe not an improbable reason was, that the

early <gods and> myths had more than one source of origin.

When we remember that Egyptian religion flourished through

a period of more than three thousand years, little wonder then

that its colleges of priests and wise men had, from time to time

(in political and other reasons), to revise the earlier beliefs that

their ancestors entertained with regard to the divinities of the heavens,

Earth, <of death,> of the underworld, and of future life.

The nucleus of Egyptian religion was really monotheistic, but

with that central god (who was no less than the Sun-god) were

grouped other deities. <With him> Eight major divinities formed the Great Ennead

(set of nine), all of whom were looked upon as direct descendants

of the One Great god. In addition to this there was a second or

lesser Ennead of minor gods, who, though in direct line of descent

from the Sun-god, were remotely related.  The Great Ennead

comprised Re the Sun-god, created from primeval waters, Shu and

Tefnut <spat out from the mouth of Re> <and> who supported the heavens, were ,

their children with[?] Keb and Mu[?]/<Nu>t, the Earth and Sky, and their

offspring <being> Osiris, Isis, Set and Nephthys - whose children are

many on the Earth. The lesser Ennead are composed of Horus, 

Thoth, Anubis and others. These gods no doubt have local

origin lasted <even though> the two groups together form the pantheon of Eighteen

Divinities who figure in the earlier myths. Even though the two 

groups together form the pantheon of Eighteen divinities who figure 

in the earlier myths, they <themselves> no doubt originally had local origin. In

considering them it will be found that many of them have similar

if not identical attributes.

There can be little doubt that Egypt in very early times was

divided up into a number of patriarchal communities, which

gave rise in accordance to their importance to greater and

lesser Towns, which ultimately became the capitals of Nomes or